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We know how much some of you love bokeh! If you’re new to the word bokeh, you can learn more about it in our bokeh tip guide.
Fast lenses are typically the best lenses for bokeh, but what you’re really looking for is a lens that not only renders the background nicely, but also maintains maximum sharpness for your subject. We’ve combed through Canon’s lens offerings and have identified some of the best lenses which are capable of producing beautiful bokeh.
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Wide Angle Lens
Wide angle lenses are typically not known for their bokeh or used wide open most of the time, but this is one wide angle which renders bokeh beautifully! The 24mm f/1.4 L II is quite sharp at all aperture settings, and the maximum aperture of f/1.4 makes it perfect for low-light wide angle shots. While not cheap, this lens is perfect for landscape photographers, nature photographers, and travel photographers who want to capture a wide scene with crisp focusing on the subject and the ability to use a very shallow depth of field.
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Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens
Functioning as wide angle lens on a full-frame camera and a normal lens on a crop sensor camera, the 35mm f/1.4L lens renders some of the smoothest bokeh you’ll find at this focal length. With a focusing distance of 1 foot, this lens allows you to get up close to your subjects, capturing them in sharp detail while producing a delightfully soft, gently blurred background.
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens
Everyone needs a fast 50mm lens in their bag, but the question you’ve got to ask yourself is — “How much am I willing to spend?” For the absolute pinnacle of performance, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens is the reigning champion with sharp results wide open and absolutely smooth bokeh. It’s also three times as much money as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens, which produces nice bokeh, but isn’t as sharp at it’s maximum aperture. At a price point more than 10 times cheaper than the f/1.2 lens is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens which feels like a toy, but produces very pleasing sharp results with nice bokeh. All three lenses will leave you feeling satisfied with your purchase, but if being able to shoot in ultra low light conditions wide open is your goal and your budget can handle it, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens is the most impressive option, rendering some of the nicest bokeh around.
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Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM Lens
The Canon 85mm f/1.2 L II is one of the most legendary of Canon’s lenses. It’s a heavy, solid lens that weighs more than 2 pounds, but that weight is worth toting around when you see the results from this lens used at its maximum aperture. When you want to isolate your subject from the background, the f/1.2 takes its job very seriously, producing world class results that make it a great choice for the professional portrait or travel photographer. At 1/5th the price of the f/1.2, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens is a good option for those who can’t justify the very high price tag of the massive f/1.2 lens. The f/1.8 produces beautiful bokeh as well and focuses much quicker, but in a maximum aperture showdown…the f/1.2 is the bokeh champion.
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Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens
Perhaps one of the sharpest among Canon’s L lens lineup, the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM lens is relatively affordable too. This lens is well constructed and auto-focuses quickly – 135mm is a bit of an unusual focal length for a prime lens, but it’s a good choice for some outdoor sports where a longer telephoto lens ins’t needed and for portraits and travel photography. The bokeh is outstanding on this lens, producing very soft and smooth out of focus areas while keeping your subject tack-sharp.
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Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM II Super Telephoto Lens
The most expensive lens on this list, the 300mm f/2.8 L lens is one of the best 300mm lens ever made, offering uniformly excellent image quality from corner to corner both wide open at f/2.8 and at smaller apertures. This is an image stabilized lens, meaning that you’ll be able to hand-hold it at fairly slow shutter speeds of only 1/125 second, allowing you to shoot in low light conditions while still getting sharp images. You can increase the focal length even more, while still maintaining great image quality by using the Canon EF 1.4X III Telephoto Extender or the Canon EF 2.0X III Telephoto Extender. The bokeh is soft and smooth, making this a perfect lens for wildlife and outdoor sports photographers who want their subjects to really stand out!
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